Window blind



April 4, 1 944. .B. W.-"1"OUCHSTOVN E ET AL. 2,346,057

WINDOW BLIND Filed Sept. 28, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet l April 4, 1944.

B. w. I'OUCHSTONE ET AL 2 ,346;057

WINDOW BLIND I Filed Sept. 28, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ammo c4 B. Wz uc/ zszone z zzz'ammryfa uaizszone Patented Apr. 4, 1944 PATENT OFF WOW BLIND Application September 28, 1943, Serial No. 504,154

7 Claims. (Cl. 160-115) This invention relates to a window blind, and it is primarily an object of the invention to provide a blind of a slat type wherein the slats are of a type that can be conveniently laundered, together with means whereby said slats are removably held in applied or working position.

Another object of the invention is to provide a blind of this kind including slats mounted in a manner whereby any one of the slats can be readily and conveniently replaced without requiring the use of tools of any kind.

An additional object of the invention is to provide'a blind structure wherein one portion may be readily and conveniently swung away from the windoyv opening to which the structure is applied or whereby said section can be adjusted or moved to a position to overlie a second section of the structure.

The invention also has for an object to'provide a blind structure which allows for a maximum of light and which does not interfere with the fiow of air and which is also of a character which will not blow out of place or rattle and which is of a type that can be produced in a manner to possess high esthetic value.

The invention consists in the details of con-' window blind whereby certain important advantages are attained, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

In order that our invention may be better understood, we will now proceed to describe the same with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a view in front elevation of the window blind structure showing the same applied and the sections in lowered position;

Figure 2 is a vertical section on the line 2-2 of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a vertical section substantially corresponding to the section of Figure 2 but showing the two portions or sections of the blind in raised position;

Figure 4 is a horizontal section on the line Q-d of Figure 2 and rotated clockwise 90;

Figure 5 is a horizontal section on the line 55 of Figure 2 and rotated clockwise 90;

Figure 6 is a section on the line 6-6 of Figure 5 in a plane extending longitudinally of the blind section; and

Figure 7 is a view in plan of a cover plate per so.

As disclosed in the accompanying drawings, F denotes a frame for a window opening including the jambsl of usual construction. Our blind structure as herein embodied comprises two units A and B which are substantially duplicate in construction, each of which is adapted to be disposed over one-half of the frame F, the unit A being above and the unit B being below.

Each of these units A and B comprises the rear side bars 2 each of which is of a length approximating one-half of the length of a jamb l. The bars 2 at the opposite end portions of each have disposed transversely therethrough the lateral extensions 3 at the inner ends of the rigid links 4, whereby said links are pivotally connected with the bars 2 for swinging movement in a general direction lengthwise of the bars 2.

These links 4 are of such length preferred and at the outer ends are provided with the laterally disposed extensions, 5 which are disposed transversely through the front bars 6. These bars 6 are coextensive in length with the length of the bars 2 and when the links 4 are in right angular relation with respect to these bars 2 and 6, their extremities are substantially coplanar. It is believed to be obvious that the links 4 connect the bars 2 and 6 in a manner whereby the bars 6 may be readily moved or swung toward or from the bars 2 as desired.

' The lateral extensions 5 intersect the elongated and longitudinally disposed recesses I provided in the outer faces of the bars 6 to receive the inwardly facing hook members 8 carried by the inner extremities of the shanks 9 to engage the ,adjacent portions of th lateral extensions 5 as the shanks 9 are moved or drawn outwardly through the openings Ill of the front bars 6. These shanks 9 have threaded thereon outwardly of the bars 6 the knobs II which may be of any preferred design and material and which knobs serve to removably clamp to the outer faces of the bars 6 the facing plates l2.

These plates I2, when applied, each extends from one end to the other of its associated bar 6 and is of a width to extend a sufficient distance inwardly of its associated bar 6 to hide or conceal the adjacent parts of the structure of the unit, whereby the esthetic value of the unit is materially increased. Each of these plates I2 may be of any material preferred and may be ornamented or embellished as desired. A longitudinal or marginal portion of each of these plates I2 is provided with the transversely disposed open slots Hi to receive the forward portions of the shanks 9 inwardly of the knobs II when the plate i2 is being applied, thus eliminating the necessity of entirely removing such knobs It in applying as well as removing a plate.

While we do not wish to limit ourselves to the character of material used in connection with the bars 2 and 6, it is to be stated that wood or other relatively cheap material can be employed to advantage.

The inner faces of the bars 2 and 6 are provided therealong in desired spaced relation with the outwardly disposed hook or eye members IS, the members I 5 of the bars 2 being substantially aligned with the members of the bars 6 when the bars 6 are at their limit of outward movement with respect to the bars 2 or when the links 4 are at right angle to such bars.

In Figure 4 the corresponding hook members 15 carried by the bars 2 and 6 are connected by an elastic loop I 6 which threads through a sleeve I! which in turn lies in a loop I 8 formed at the end of a slat 2|. The intermediate portion of the loop I8 is surrounded by the sleeve H of paper or other desired material and which is of a length substantially equal to the width of the slat.

These slats 2| are of a suitable fabric, woven or otherwise, and consist of paper strips, cloth strips and the like. This is of advantage as the slats can be very cheaply made without sacrificing efilciency and can be readily applied and can with equal facility be removed for laundering or replacement. By having these slats 2| of a fabric, they can be readily decorated or embellished or, if desired, strips of wall-paper, such as may be used in the room, may be employed for the slats, so that the slats will harmonize with the scheme of decoration of the room.

These slats 2! are, of course, of a desired length to extend across the window opening and the mounting for the slats assures the same to be maintained taut while the bands or cords it serve to exert sufllcient strain on the bars 6 through the links 4 to maintain the bars 6 in their selective swinging adjustment with respect to the bars 2 The rear bars 2 of the upper unit A are fixedl held to the inner or opposed faces of the lambs l of the window frame F by the screws 29 or the like and said bars are held suitably spaced from the jambs i by the spacing washers 30 on these screws 29 and by the end portions of the raising arms 3| freely mounted on the lower screws 29. These arms 3| are of desired length and have their outer ends pivotally connected, as at 32, with the outer faces of the rear bars 2 of the second or lower unit B. Pivotally connected, as at 33, with the opposed faces of the lamb l are the lower or inner extremities of the lower arms 34 which have their opposite end portions pivotally connected, as at 35, to the lower extremities of the rear bars 2 of the unit B.

The mountings of these swinging or raising arms 3! and 34 are such as to readily allow the lower unit B to be raised up into overlying relation with respect to the upper applied unit A to leave the lower portion of the window frame completely opened, when desired. When the unit B is in a raised position, neither of these units interferes with the desired adjustment of the other, so that if desired one unit may be in blind adjustment while the other is opened. With the bottom unit B raised and the upper unit A in closed or blind adjustment, the course of the air fiow within the room can be changed when deemed advisable.

By having the slats 2! of fabric, such slats may be extremely thin, so that obstruction to vision will be minimized, and it is believed to be obvious from the foregoing that the blind structure as herein embodied is one which affords a maximum of light, will not interfere with the desired flow of air, and will not blow out of place or rattle.

From the foregoing description it is thought to be obvious that a window blind constructed in accordance with my invention is particularly well adapted for use by reason of the convenience and facility with which it may be assembled and operated.

What is claimed is:

1. A window blind structure comprising two pairs of bars, a plurality of links coupling the bars of each pair together whereby one bar of each pair may be swung toward and from the other, members connecting the bars of each pair at spaced points therealong, and fabric slats interposed between the two pairs of bars and connected to the longitudinally spaced members.

2. A window blind structure comprising two pairs of bars, means for connecting the bars of each pair together for swinging movement of one of said bars toward and from the other, fabric slats extending between the two pairs of bars, and means for detachably connecting the extremities of said slats to the two pairs of bars and between the bars of each pair.

3. A window blind structure comprising two pairs of bars, means for connecting the bars of each pair together for swinging movement of one of said bars toward and from the other, fabric slats extending between the two pairs of bars, and means for detachably connecting the extremities of said slats to the two pairs of bars and between the bars of each pair, said connecting means being elastic to provide means for exerting pull on the slats to maintain the same taut.

4. A window blind structure comprising two pairs of bars, means for connecting the bars of each pair together for swinging movement of one of said bars toward and from the other, fabric slats extending between the two pairs of bars, and means for detachably connecting the extremities of said slats to the two pairs of bars and between the bars of each pair, said connecting means being elastic to provide means for maintaining the bars of each pair in selective relative swinging positions.

5. A window blind structure comprising two units of substantially duplicate construction, each of said units comprising two pairs of bars, one bar of each pair of one unit being fixed vertically within a portion of a window frame, links connecting one bar of each pair of bars of the second unit to a corresponding bar of the first unit whereby said second unit may be swung to and from a position overlying the first unit and into a position occupying the remaining portion of the window frame, the second bars of each pair of bars of a unit being connected with the first bars for swinging movement toward and from the first bars, and slats carried at their ends by the pairs of bars of each unit and bridging the space between the respective pairs of bars of each unit.

6. A window blind structure comprising two pairs of bars, one bar of each pair being the rear bar and the other the front bar, the rear bars being securable to a window frame, means for connecting the bars of each, pair together whereby the outer bar may swing toward and from the inner bar, fabric slats interposed between the two pairs of bars, and resilient means for connecting the extremities of the slats to the two pairs of ars.

7. A window blind structure comprising two pairs of bars, one bar of each pair being the rear bar and the other the front bar, the rear bars being securable to a'window frame, means for connecting the bars of each pair together whereby the outer bar may swing toward and from the inner bar, fabric slats interposed between the two pairs of bars, resilient means for connecting the extremities of the siats'to the two pairs 01 bars, facing plates overlying the outer faces of the front bar or each pair of bars and extending inwardly thereof, 1 and means for detachably 5 holding said facing plate to its bar.

BURT WARREN TOUCHSTONE. WILLIAM MARY TOUCHSTONE. 

